ANAHEIM — Just when it appeared as if the wily veteran was not in the Ducks’ plans, Antoine Vermette is very much in them when it comes to the start of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Being able to excel at something can make you useful, even when it is a specialty. Experience can be meaningful when it comes to the heat of the playoffs, but so can winning a critical faceoff draw.

It is among the reasons Vermette was summoned for Game 1 of the Western Conference quarterfinals against San Jose even though his playing time was limited over the final six weeks of the regular season.

“Every aspect of the game is so important,” Vermette said. “Details of the game are magnified at that time. The margin for error is so slim and the difference between games and the teams are so very little.

“Every aspect of the game, it’s more important. And definitely faceoffs is one of the keys in the playoffs also.”

Ducks coach Randy Carlyle put Vermette in for the season finale at Arizona after sitting him for six straight contests and playing him only twice over a 16-game span. In his mind, Derek Grant had become his fourth-line center.

But in the 35-year-old Vermette, Carlyle saw someone who was rejuvenated by being back in action and an added option when it comes to having a faceoff ace at his disposal in certain situations. Vermette is at a 56.9 percent success rate for his 14-year career and is at 60 percent this season.

“And I thought the combination of him and Grant – Grant has been a pretty good center iceman here in the faceoff circle over the last six weeks – give us two guys that we can rely on. If one gets thrown out, the other guy can go in.

“We’ve utilized Grant in the same situation as we’ve utilized Vermette before. So it just gives us some options as far as both guys can play wing.”

Three Ducks made their playoff debut Thursday but Vermette’s 95 postseason games put him among those on the team with the most experience. Ryan Getzlaf appeared in his 122nd playoff game, while Corey Perry was in his 115th. Francois Beauchemin and Ryan Kesler each played their 98th.

The others were in their every night down the stretch while Vermette often saw them make their push for a playoff spot without him. That’s now in the past.

“It’s not the situation you want to be in,” Vermette said. “We’re all competitive. You want to be in and you want to continue to help this team. You got to keep the right attitude and not be a distraction for your teammates. That’s how I approach it. But that’s behind and we all have a common goal right now.”

DEEP BREATHS TAKEN

Andy Welinski has playoff experience and won a championship. But this is very different.

At 19, Welinski was part of a Green Bay Gamblers squad that captured a United States Hockey League title. He also logged some Calder Cup duty last season with the AHL’s San Diego Gulls.

But with only seven NHL games under his belt, the 24-year-old got the call for Game 1.

“It’s important to be able to relax and take everything in as well,” he said. “It’s obviously a new experience. Playoff hockey is something I’ve done throughout my career, but this is obviously a little different. This is a new level. The intensity’s the highest that it’s going to be.”

San Jose forward Eric Fehr witnessed Welinski and fellow Ducks rookie defender Marcus Pettersson develop while playing for the Gulls on loan from the Toronto Maple Leafs. Fehr has also kept tabs on them while with the Sharks and said he’ll talk to both after the series.

“I’m really impressed with those two guys,” Fehr said. “The way they can handle the puck in the (defensive) zone, I think the biggest thing for a young d-man is in the d-zone. They’re used to working the offensive line. They’re used to working the power play.

“When you have to come in and play against some big men and try to defend and be strong, that’s the difficulty for a d-man. I think these guys have done a great job.”